Reply With QuoteUnited – Once again we have played much better and won. Countless games at home (Villa, Bristol, Norwich etc) and a few away have seen us more fluent but today despite only doing it for spells of the game, we got the win. We began sloppily and they had a chance early on but gradually came out and Clarke looked more a threat than he has been. We then had most of the decent play and chances first half but were not brilliant and at times still gave it away. Still, Clarke and Sharp had good chances and then the goal came. After this we survived a scare early in the second half but then got the second and could have had another. It seemed they had gone but a goal out of nothing and it was all change. We then could not get hold of the ball, barely made a challenge and they won most loose things and carried the ball on.
You sensed they may snatch a draw but Wilder did change things and Leonard helped matters getting stuck in and breaking things up a bit. The game became disjointed and sort of ebbed away which was fine. Still Smith had a good late chance and you were never convinced we were going to see them off. The defence did well today but I felt got no protection from the midfield who did well first half but after they scored, regressed badly and sat off and started to tire. We then struggled to keep up with some of their more mobile players from this area. We were hanging on a bit and they were not a good side at all. We can and will play much better and it was just about getting over the line. It showed how much we miss Fleck (and Coutts). Duffy was really poor tonight but Clarke was back to his standards of pre-Christmas and worked really hard. Sharp did ok and put a shift in too. I am not sure we had the cohesion with and without the ball we have had but we scrapped out the win. We now are back in the mix and with players coming back can go to a struggling Hull side and have a real go Friday night.
QPR – First half they started ok but then we started to take control and they made mistakes and struggled and a few unforced errors at the back and we could have led. We finally got a goal and then when the second went in (after they missed a decent chance); it seemed curtains. We could have got another and they looked to have gone. The goal gave them a big lift and then they had a real go and got bodies forward. Over the game 2-1 was about right and they left it way too late to have a proper go at us but they did not cave in. I am not sure they will finish much higher than where they are and rely on their home form a lot to get points. They have done well at Loftus Road and beat some decent sides but struggle on the road. I was chatting to a Rangers fan pre-game and it seems Holloway is not flavour of the month. He said he is tactically inept and has no idea who his best team is or formation. He wants him out but realises without any funds they kind of rely on a motivator like him to get the maximum out of a squad that has a few carryovers from the Premier League a few years ago but is essentially full of middling Championship players and current position and final position probably reflects this.
Opposition Man of the Match: Freeman was the main threat. Always liked him at Bristol City and Stevenage before that and has lost a lot of timber. Can carry the ball and dribble with it and a decent shot. Ironically, he was quite first half but we struggled to stop him second half and he scored a really good goal. Luongo is another decent ball player. Both are great when attacking but struggle to do the defensive stuff. Smith has always been a handful but we played him quite well tonight but he still had a good chance.
Opposition Weak link: The defence was a bit all over the place at times. Onouha and Baptiste have both played in the Premier League but both looked very erratic at times. I also thought the keeper did not exude confidence and I quite liked him when he was at Huddersfield. Washington was quiet tonight.
Blackman 7.5/10 – For the most part decent. He did miss one cross or sort of flapped at it first half and then his dribble left me worried but his handling overall was good and against another giant in Smith made sure he got stuff either by taking or punching away. He made one very good low save down to his left and got up to save again. Not sure he had much chance on the goal - a low shot.
Baldock 7/10 – Decent again in overall play showing pace, athleticism and underrated strength. He did well when attacking although fired badly off target. Put one cross over second half that was a bit more pace would have led to Clarke scoring. At the end he did give his man a bit too much time and he crossed a few times but then he did help see him off at the death.
Stevens 7/10 – Played ok tonight. Put in a good cross that just missed everyone and then one for Lundstram/Clarke that nearly led to a goal. He was a bit slow to react to a few things but last few weeks has got back to standards of earlier in the season.
Basham 7.5/10 – Thought he was very good tonight. Sure a few slices or miskicks but he stuck to his task, got his foot in and made some good tackles and interceptions. Really honest performance. Had one run forward second half where he pirouetted around and then fed Clarke. Not sure he knew what he was doing! Really whole-hearted performance.
O’Connell 7.5/10 – Solid again. He made some good blocks and covered around the back well. Also came forward a few times and nearly got us in with through balls. Playing well (apart from error v Leeds) last 3 or 4 games and he like Stevens has got back to standards of earlier in the season.
Stearman 7.5/10 – Played well again. Scored a goal, used it well when he had it and won a lot of headers. An intelligent defender who just does the basics well and can move across deck fairly well. A lot still call for Jake Wright but defence has been fine recent times and he has been one of most consistent players post Xmas.
Evans 6/10 – Mixed performance. First half did well and was able to get on it and move it on. Broke up play and just kept it simple. Had a few efforts at goal too and pulled one wide when he should have done better. After they scored he struggled and he let Freeman get away and should have brought him down but did not and it was fatal. He did bring him down next time he ran away and got booked! The final stages I felt he tired quite badly and I felt we did not close them down and lacked mobility/legs and cover. Him and Lundstram tried too many long balls and just stopped doing the basics. Both midfielders for big lads are not great at tackling.
Lundstram 6/10 – As above. Played ok in spells with some decent balls and then scored the goal (his third which is as many as Coutts, Fleck and Duffy combined for all we laud those three) and shows he can get forward and finish. Nearly scored another first half. He still tried too many long balls and will not carry it 10-15 yards when there is grass to run into. Tried a daft flick that led to their goal and then he was struggling to get close to their quick runners and we were too far off them ad was really struggling before he went off. Not sure how he got man of the match. He has to do it for 90 minutes not in spells. Another big lad that gets brushed aside too easy also.
Originally Posted by Longshortandtall
